Joseph Andrews, by Henry Fielding

Chapter 10

Joseph writes another letter: his transactions with Mr Peter Pounce, &c., with his departure from
Lady Booby.

The disconsolate Joseph would not have had an understanding sufficient for the principal subject of
such a book as this, if he had any longer misunderstood the drift of his mistress; and indeed, that he did not discern
it sooner, the reader will be pleased to impute to an unwillingness in him to discover what he must condemn in her as a
fault. Having therefore quitted her presence, he retired into his own garret, and entered himself into an ejaculation
on the numberless calamities which attended beauty, and the misfortune it was to be handsomer than one’s
neighbours.

He then sat down, and addressed himself to his sister Pamela in the following words:—

“Dear Sister Pamela, — Hoping you are well, what news have I to tell you! O Pamela! my mistress is fallen in love
with me-that is, what great folks call falling in love-she has a mind to ruin me; but I hope I shall have more
resolution and more grace than to part with my virtue to any lady upon earth.

“Mr Adams hath often told me, that chastity is as great a virtue in a man as in a woman. He says he never knew any
more than his wife, and I shall endeavour to follow his example. Indeed, it is owing entirely to his excellent sermons
and advice, together with your letters, that I have been able to resist a temptation, which, he says, no man complies
with, but he repents in this world, or is damned for it in the next; and why should I trust to repentance on my
deathbed, since I may die in my sleep? What fine things are good advice and good examples! But I am glad she turned me
out of the chamber as she did: for I had once almost forgotten every word parson Adams had ever said to me.

“I don’t doubt, dear sister, but you will have grace to preserve your virtue against all trials; and I beg you
earnestly to pray I may be enabled to preserve mine; for truly it is very severely attacked by more than one; but I
hope I shall copy your example, and that of Joseph my namesake, and maintain my virtue against all temptations.”

Joseph had not finished his letter, when he was summoned downstairs by Mr Peter Pounce, to receive his wages; for,
besides that out of eight pounds a year he allowed his father and mother four, he had been obliged, in order to furnish
himself with musical instruments, to apply to the generosity of the aforesaid Peter, who, on urgent occasions, used to
advance the servants their wages: not before they were due, but before they were payable; that is, perhaps, half a year
after they were due; and this at the moderate premium of fifty per cent, or a little more: by which charitable methods,
together with lending money to other people, and even to his own master and mistress, the honest man had, from nothing,
in a few years amassed a small sum of twenty thousand pounds or thereabouts.

Joseph having received his little remainder of wages, and having stript off his livery, was forced to borrow a frock
and breeches of one of the servants (for he was so beloved in the family, that they would all have lent him anything):
and, being told by Peter that he must not stay a moment longer in the house than was necessary to pack up his linen,
which he easily did in a very narrow compass, he took a melancholy leave of his fellow-servants, and set out at seven
in the evening.

He had proceeded the length of two or three streets, before he absolutely determined with himself whether he should
leave the town that night, or, procuring a lodging, wait till the morning. At last, the moon shining very bright helped
him to come to a resolution of beginning his journey immediately, to which likewise he had some other inducements;
which the reader, without being a conjurer, cannot possibly guess, till we have given him those hints which it may be
now proper to open.